


Come In From The Cold

by Measured



Category: Vividred Operation
Genre: Cold Weather, Community: cottoncandy_bingo, F/F, Fluff, Shopping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-27
Updated: 2013-02-27
Packaged: 2017-12-03 18:36:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/701370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured/pseuds/Measured
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Saegusa was taller than her, so that the coat was a bit too large, but in a way that felt like snuggling into a big blanket on a cold day. Really, Saegusa was kind of like a prince, with how she lifted her up and carried her to the infirmary, and now lending Momo her coat. But it wasn't just that, it was the confident way she carried herself, and her urge to protect everyone around her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Come In From The Cold

Akane had run ahead, Aoi in tow, both laughing as they went. Momo hadn't followed—there was going to be a sale, and she wanted to catch it–She shivered as she came further out into the chilly wind, strong enough to make the yellowing and red leaves shudder.

Saegusa stood apart, in a long, elegant green coat with a faux-fur trim. She was always prepared, it seemed. She probably even brought an umbrella to school and hid it away in case it rained.

Momo waved, and Saegusa came near. "You're going home as well?"

"Practice was canceled for the day," Saegusa said.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. It's grown really cold, hasn't it, Saegusa-san?" Momo said. "I really hope there's snow this year."

Momo remembered happier times, with father and mother tossing snowballs at her and Akane, laughing and joking, while grandfather looked on from inside over a cup of oolong tea. She'd been very young at the time, but the memory was still pristine and clear.

"Just...not yet," she said, looking down at her bare legs and the school's uniform of short shorts. At least then they'd get to wear their winter uniform with pants. 

Saegusa pulled off her coat, and in a moment, it was draped over her shoulders.

"Eh? But then you'll be cold, Saegusa-san."

"It is nothing. Enduring the cold is part of my training," Saegusa said.

Momo blushed furiously. "Thank you, Saegusa-san."

Saegusa was taller than her, so that the coat was a bit too large, but in a way that felt like snuggling into a big blanket on a cold day. Really, Saegusa was kind of like a prince, with how she lifted her up and carried her to the infirmary, and now lending Momo her coat. But it wasn't just that, it was the confident way she carried herself, and her urge to protect everyone around her.

"You aren't leaving with Isshiki-san?" Saegusa said.

"Ah, no. I'm going to get some shopping done. I hope Taro root is on sale, Akane loves Imoni a lot. Cooking it outside is one of her favorite parts of the season."

"I'll accompany you, then," Saegusa said.

"What? That isn't necessary—you must be very busy, Saegusa-san." 

Saegusa took Momo's hands in hers. "It's dangerous with the Alone coming out at any moment. You shouldn't be going by yourself."

Momo's blush only grew deeper this time. Saegusa's hands were covered with callouses, and a bit larger than Momo's own. Her cold fingers were warmed right up in the heat of two bodies, skin and skin... It made her think of Docking, what could only be something so warm and wonderfully intimate—to share your entirety with someone else and fight the Alone together.

But she didn't talk about that—at least, not yet.

"Thank you for looking after me, Saegusa-san," Momo said. 

*

Momo hummed as she looked through the ingredients. She was used to going alone, but some company was nice. Saegusa studied the sizes and cans, saying to herself _this good a deal?_ and didn't attempt to make conversation, but it was nice just having someone near. She'd never supposed shopping by herself to be a lonely sort of thing, but with Saegusa around it seemed...more fun. Fuller, somehow. Even if she wasn't trying to balance a can of broth on Momo's head like Akane would've.

Momo saw a neon yellow sign listing a sale on broth. It was on a shelf just above her. She stood on tiptoe, only to feel the pressure of Saegusa's chest to her back as she reached up and got the can for her.

Saegusa carried it, as well as the potatoes which she'd gotten, the slab of beef, and the eggs, as well as many bottles as mayo as she could afford. Momo would've been stumbling under the weight, but Saegusa balanced it and managed to look regal and imposing, even with a bunch of groceries.

"You really are like a prince," Momo said.

"What?" Saegusa said.

"I mean, thank you very much, this is really kind of you," Momo said.

"It's no problem," Saegusa said, and smiled.

After paying, they left together, and lingered under awning of the store. Akane was always raring to go, and always became fidgety when Momo stayed back to look over the receipts and count her money from the purse that hung around her neck, but Saegusa waited patiently, staying quiet to not break Momo's concentration until Momo had finished.

"I don't have enough for a train fare," she said. "It's cold so, you probably want to leave. And oh, your jacket—"

"I'm not leaving your side, not when there could be Alone about," Saegusa said. There was such passion and determination in her green eyes that Momo felt transfixed for a moment. She'd never met anyone so focused, so purposeful as Saegusa.

"Oh....Of course. Thank you."

Then, because her mind kept going places—Docking, the thought of Saegusa's lips on her forehead, their hands entwined in a bright light–she kept talking.

"I'm going to make Nikujaja tonight. It's a bit cold for cooking outside. Nothing warms you up like a good stew on a cool day," Momo said. She looked back, her breath white in the air as Saegusa carried the ingredients. She didn't even have to tote a single thing. She had reached for the bag, but Saegusa had plucked it right up, as gallant as a boy with a crush carrying the books home for a girl he liked.

"Are you sure you aren't too cold?" Momo said.

Saegusa's cheeks were very red in the autumn chill.

"No, this is good training. I've sat out in the middle of winter for hours—this is nothing," Saegusa said. Her smile lit up her whole face. She was silhouetted by brilliant fall leaves.

"Just a second...."

Momo pulled out her phone and snapped a picture. She managed to get Saegusa's usual focused expression just before the surprise hit. It was a great find, a beautiful shot for a beautiful memory. She hadn't even had to retake it because of red-eye or the sun being too bright and ruining it.

"Sorry to catch you unaware, I wanted to remember this moment," she said.

"That's hardly fair," Saegusa said. "You should do one of yourself as well."

"Of me?" Momo said. She touched to her chest, just over her heart.

Saegusa nodded enthusiastically, making her ponytail bob and swing as she did. "A cute one of you!"

"Okay, it's only fair." Momo tried to pose, but it was hard to get at this angle. Saegusa set the groceries aside for a moment and took the phone from her. Momo smiled for the camera, closing her eyes until she heard the beeping that signaled it was finished.

"We should take one together!" Saegusa said. She lifted up her hand and made a fist as she said it, which made it seem more like she was planning a war than taking a picture. A very cheerful war.

Before Momo could even respond, Saegusa had her arm about Momo, and was pulling them into another picture. Momo only came to Saegusa's shoulder, but it was nice. Almost couple like, with them close together and Saegusa's arm pulling Momo tight against her.

Saegusa was a little better at getting them all in one picture, but the moment was broken when she heard a rustling, and turned her head just in time to see a youth scooping up the bags and starting to run away.

"Oh no, the groceries—!"

"Don't worry, I'll get them for you," Saegusa said.

Saegusa set off at a run. 

"Stop right there! _Natural Harmony dive_!"

She launched herself at the would-be thief, a rough looking boy who wasn't much older than herself. She hit him square in the jaw with her fist, and he tumbled down to the ground, the groceries scattering around him all over the sidewalk.

Momo bent and quickly picked up the bags as Saegusa waited for the boy to come to. He wore a black shirt that had been scuffed by the dirt from the fall, and black pants. She noticed a tattoo of a snake just under his arm. Yazuka? She hardly thought a Yakuza would be stealing groceries from a pair of students.

"I'll let you go this time, but if you cross her again, I swear I won't forgive you," Saegusa said. She said it with such intensity that Momo honestly felt a little sorry for the boy. If she didn't know Saegusa and had that look aimed at _her_ , well...she'd probably get nightmares to have such an avenging angel against her.

The boy got up and scrambled away. His hat fell to the ground, but he didn't bother to pick it up as he took off at a run.

"That's really amazing, I could never do something like that. Really, you and Akane and Aoi are so amazing...."

_And then there's me, hiding in a bunker, unable to do anything but worry and try and plan the dinners for when they come home._

"You cut yourself short! You have an inner strength, you should never cut yourself down!" Saegusa said forcefully. She was full of such fire and vigor.

Momo looked down to her feet for a moment, then looked up and smiled. "If you say so, then it really must be true."

They kept walking past the beautiful fiery leaves, and all Momo could think was this was very like a date, but that was silly because it was just Saegusa, who was her sister's friend and sort of her own friend by proxy. But then, every time she was with Saegusa, it was like a date. Saegusa had carried her to safety, bandaged her, saved her from the Alone...

When they reached her house, Saegusa stepped in and removed her shoes at the door. She set the bags on the kitchen floor, and Momo began to rifle through them right away.

"Would you like to stay?" Momo said. Momo pulled on her pink traditional wrapover apron. Saegusa looked away sharply, her face very red. _"So c-cute!"_

"Did you say something?" Momo said.

"I mean—yes. I would be honored to stay."

"We don't have much to do around here, I'm afraid. My grandfather's office is off limits, and we never had much money since father died and mother went into the hospital."

"I am sorry to hear that," Saegusa said.

"Thank you..it was a long time ago," Momo said.

"However, I never have much time for playing around because of my training," Saegusa said. "So you have nothing to apologize for."

"You're such a hard worker," Momo said. She started to cut up the potatoes and heat the broth.  
What had been lingering her mind came to the surface again. She paused in her cutting and looked down to the pots. The warmth, the heat, the strength. Two bodies becoming something new, and more powerful than imaginable. 

"I have to wonder, though... What's it like? Docking....To be so close to a person that you're inside of them."

She laughed and rubbed at her left cheek, and left a trail of potato juice there which she wiped off with her apron. "That sounds more perverted than I meant, but you know what I mean."

Saegusa looked solemnly at her. "It is....hard to describe. I've never felt anything like it before. I have nothing to compare it to. No, that's not right. It's like the first time I ever tried Kendo, but much, much more intense."

"Maybe I'll know what it's like someday." _Maybe even with you._

"Only time will tell, but I believe you have great potential within you, Momo-san," Saegusa said.

_As great as my sister's? Or in the end, are you just being kind?_

"Thank you for saying that," she said. She clasped her hands in front of her and looked down. Sometimes in the face of Saegusa's intensity, she just didn't know how to respond.

With the ingredients into the pot left to simmer, Momo sat down near the table, near enough to catch the smell of whatever soap Saegusa had used to wash with that morning. She wasn't a flowery perfume kind of girl, but it fit her. Her mind wandered back to Docking, and Saegusa. Vividgreen had been so beautiful and fearsome, but that was no surprise, considering. But she had already asked, and Saegusa couldn't—or wouldn't–explain, so she changed the subject, even as her curiosity burned inside her.

"So, tell me more about yourself," Momo said.

"What do you want to know?" Saegusa said.

"Anything," Momo said. "I'm all ears."

"I was an ichinen when I started training..."

Momo leaned on her palm as she listened. It wasn't that she was bored by what Saegusa was saying, it was just that she could lose herself in Saegusa's passion, her strength until there was nothing but daydreams and the memory of Saegusa fighting and transforming, becoming apart of another person. Becoming a part of her.

*

Akane hadn't come home. She was always going to visit her friends and then not calling home. It hadn't been much of an issue when it was just her and her grandfather, who was more often than not holed away in his office, but now with the Alone threatening to surface at any minute, a little knot of worry settled within her whenever she opened up her phone to find no new messages.

Akane would get an earful when she returned, that was for sure.

Saegusa left before dark, silhouetted by the frost-covered gold and red leaves of the trees rustling in the cold wind.

"I hope to see you again sometime," Momo said. "I mean, of course, I'll see you at school, but it'd be nice to spend time like this again."

"I would be honored to visit you again, Isshiki-san," Saegusa said. "Thank you for the meal, it was delicious."

"Please, call me Momo!" Momo called out to her.

"Then, you should call me Wakaba. It's only fair," Wakaba-san said.

"I'll see you at school...Wakaba-san," Momo said.

"You too, Momo-san!" Wakaba called back.

She waved and watched Wakaba until she turned around the corner and disappeared. Wakaba had forgotten her coat—or knowing Wakaba, it had been a calculated effort to keep her warm. She buried her face in Wakaba's coat. It smelled faintly like her. So warm and comforting. She wanted to keep it forever.

 _Maybe someday..._ Momo thought.


End file.
